Impatiens plant named ‘Imtracaro’

ABSTRACT

A new  Impatiens  plant, characterized particularly as to novelty by a flat and strong outward spreading growth habit, freely branching with branches that tend to grow horizontally, resulting in a big and floriferous plant with light rose flowers.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Impatiens walleriana.

Varietal denomination: ‘Imtracaro’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new distinct cultivar of Impatiens, botanically known as Impatiens walleriana.

The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program conducted in Enkhuizen, Netherlands. The new Impatiens cultivar has a flat and spreading growing type, is floriferous with large flowers, and has attractive foliage.

The present cultivar originated from a cross-pollination made in 2002, of a proprietary Impatiens walleriana selection identified as ‘S3408-1,’ not patented, as the female, or seed parent, with a proprietary Impatiens walleriana selection identified as ‘S2012-1,’ not patented, as the male, or pollen parent.

The present cultivar has been repeatedly asexually reproduced by cuttings in Enkhuizen, Netherlands, in Angers, France, and in Gilroy, Calif., USA over a four year period. The new variety is stable and reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction. It takes 6 to 8 weeks to produce a finished plant, depending on the temperature.

The new Impatiens plant is an annual in most climatical zones in the US, only in zones 9 and 10 it is a perennial plant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

This new Impatiens plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographic drawing which shows blooms, buds and foliage of the plant in full color, the color showing being as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctive characteristics of this new Impatiens. The data which defines these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Enkhuizen, Netherlands. The plant history was taken on 27 week old plants blossomed under natural light in the field.

Color readings were taken in the office under ambient light. Color references are primarily to the R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London.

Plants of the new Impatiens differ primarily from the plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

Plants of the new Impatiens have light rose flowers and a good trailing habit, whereas the plants of the female parent have orange flowers.

Plants of the new Impatiens differ primarily from the male plant selection in the following characteristics:

Plants of the new Impatiens have light rose flowers, whereas the plants of the male parent have light salmon flowers.

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW CULTIVAR ‘IMTRACARO’ AND A SIMILAR CULTIVAR ‘Imtrarose’ (U.S. Publication ‘Imtracaro’ No. US-2005-0177916-A1) Flower color: Light rose Rose Habit: Trailing branches Long trailing branches

The family relationship between ‘Imtracaro’ is: The female parent line of ‘Imatracaro’ is RBGE 19821569×J475-2 crossed with line H0420. The male parent line of ‘Imtracaro’ is RBGE 19821569×J475-2 crossed with line M170.

-   The plant -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—‘S3408-1,’ not patented.         -   Male parent.—‘S2012-1,’ not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—10-12 days at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—4 weeks.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous, and white in color. -   Plant description:     -   -   General appearance.—Makes long branches that tend to grow             horizontally. -   Habit:     -   -   Growth and branching habit.—Freely branching habit, freely             flowering, and vigorous.         -   Plant height.—24 cm.         -   Plant spread.—81 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—10-37 cm.         -   Diameter.—2 mm.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Internode length.—About 3.6 cm.         -   Color.—RHS 144A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.         -   Length, mature leaves.—3.7 cm.         -   Width, mature leaves.—2.2 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color young foliage, upper surface.—RHS 137A.         -   Color young foliage, lower surface.—RHS 137D.         -   Fully expanded foliage, upper surface.—RHS 137A.         -   Fully expanded foliage, lower surface.—RHS 137C.         -   Venation, upper surface.—RHS 137A.         -   Venation, lower surface,—RHS 137C.         -   Petiole, length.—About 1.1 cm.         -   Petiole, diameter.—About 1 mm.         -   Petiole, texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Petiole, color.—RHS 177C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single.         -   Number of flowers per leaf axil.—2-3.         -   Number of flowers and flower buds per lateral branch.—14-17.         -   Flower position.—Above and beyond the foliage and typically             facing upwards and outward.         -   Flower shape.—Rounded, mostly flat.         -   Flower lasting about 7-9 days on the plant depending on             environmental conditions.         -   Flowers non persistent.         -   Flowers not fragrant.         -   Flower indeterminate and continuous.         -   Flowering season.—Year round under greenhouse conditions. In             the garden, flowering from Spring until Fall.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3.9 cm.         -   Flower depth.—2 mm. -   Flower buds:     -   -   Rate of opening.—From flower bud to fully opened flower,             typically about 6-8 days, depending on temperature.         -   Bud length (at stage of showing color).—About 1.1 cm.         -   Bud diameter.—About 0.7 cm.         -   Bud shape.—Ellipsoidal.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color, just before opening.—RHS 63C. -   Petals:     -   -   Quantity.—Single, five per flower, imbricate.         -   Length of banner petal.—About 1.5 cm.         -   Width of banner petal.—About 2.1 cm.         -   Length, lateral and basal petals.—About 2.2 cm.         -   Width, lateral and basal petals.—About 1.9 cm.         -   Lateral and basal petal shape.—Obovate.         -   Banner petal shape.—Broadly obcordate.         -   Petal apex.—Retuse to emarginate.         -   Petal base.—Attenuate.         -   Petal margin.—Entire.         -   Petal texture.—Smooth, satiny.         -   Petal color.—Upper surface when opening and fully opened:             RHS 66B. Lower surface when opening and fully opened: RHS             68A. -   Sepals:     -   -   Lateral sepals.—2.         -   Shape.—Ovate-lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base, lower sepal.—Shallowly navicular.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Length.—3-7 mm.         -   Width, lower sepal.—9-11 mm.         -   Texture, upper and lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous. -   Spur:     -   -   Length.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Aspect.—Curved.         -   Color.—RHS 180B. -   Peduncles:     -   -   Length.—About 2-2.5 cm.         -   Diameter.—1 mm.         -   Aspect.—About 45 degrees from the stem.         -   Color.—RHS 181C. -   Bracts: At least 2.     -   -   Shape.—Linear-lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Length.—3-6 mm.         -   Color.—RHS 177C. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Androecium.—Stamen number: five fused at anthers, filaments             free, hooded. Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: About 2 mm.             Anther color: RHS 63A. Amount of pollen: No pollen.         -   Gynoecium.—Pistil number: One. Pistil length: About 5 mm.             Stigma shape: Columnar, five segmented. Stigma color: Red             purple. Style color: RHS 64A. Ovary arrangement: Five             celled. Ovary color: RHS 147A. -   Seed development: Seed development has not been observed. -   Disease/pest tolerance: No known susceptibility to disease or     insects noted to date. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Impatiens plant named ‘Imtracaro,’ as substantially illustrated and described herein. 